Training bat

ABSTRACT

A training bat comprising a first end forming a handle, a second end having a substantially uniform outer diameter, and at least one step portion, positioned between the handle and the second end, having an outer diameter, wherein the at least one step portion has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the second end.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an apparatus foruse in athletic training, and more particularly to a training bat foruse in baseball or softball batting practice.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Training bats are traditionally used by baseball or softball players toimprove individual batting performance in preparation for play in actualcompetitive situations. Training bats have been designed to assist inbatter performance, many of them having shock absorbance members,thinner contact surfaces to increase hand-eye coordination, or weightsto improve batter strength. Examples of such bats are described in U.S.Pat. No. 3,246,894; U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,908; and U.S. Pat. No.6,280,353.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improved training bats which provide,inter alia, improved shock absorbing properties and allow the batter tobetter his or her follow-through speed and hand/eye coordination.

In general, in one aspect, the invention provides a training batcomprising a first end forming a handle, a second end having asubstantially uniform outer diameter, and at least one step portion,positioned between the handle and the second end, wherein the at leastone step portion has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameterof the second end.

Implementations of the invention may include one or more of thefollowing features. The at least one step portion can be comprised of afirst step having an outer diameter and a second step having an outerdiameter, wherein the outer diameter of the second step is smaller thanthe outer diameter of the first step. The second step can have a lengththat is greater than a length of the first step. The outer diameter ofthe second step can be substantially the same as the outer diameter ofthe handle.

Further implementations of the invention may include one or more of thefollowing features. The at least one step portion can be and isdesirably constructed and arranged to reduce vibration in the bat whenthe bat is used to strike a ball. The training bat may be furthercomprised of a flange positioned between the handle and the at least onestep portion. The at least one step portion can have a length that issubstantially one-half of the length of the second end. The training batcan have a weight that is substantially the weight of a conventionalbat. The training bat can be composed of aluminum.

In general, in another aspect, a training bat is comprisedadvantageously out of a single piece of aluminum forming a handle, asecond end having a substantially uniform diameter, and means,positioned between the handle and the second end, for reducing vibrationof the bat when the bat is engaged in striking a ball, wherein the meansfor reducing vibration has an outer diameter smaller than the outerdiameter of the second end.

In general, in another aspect, the invention provides a method ofstriking a ball with a training bat, the method comprising contacting aball with a bat, the bat having a first end forming a handle, a secondend having a substantially uniform diameter, and at least one stepportion, positioned between the handle and the second end, having anouter diameter, wherein the at least one step portion has an outerdiameter smaller than the outer diameter of the second end.

The invention will be more fully understood after a review of thefollowing figures, detailed description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is madeto the figures which are incorporated herein by reference and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a training bat in accordance with oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a training bat in accordance with oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a training bat in accordance with oneembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a training bat in accordance with oneembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention provide a training bat for use by a batterin the game of baseball or softball. Embodiments also serve as a toolfor improving a batter's hand-eye coordination. Further, embodimentsserve as tools for reducing vibration in a bat when a bat makes contactwith a ball.

Referring to FIG. 1, a training bat 10 in accordance with one embodimentof the present invention includes a first portion 12 located near afirst end 11, a flange 14, a step portion 16 and a second portion 22located near a second end 13. The step portion 16 is constructed andarranged to reduce vibration in the bat when the bat is used to strike aball. The step portion 16 can have a first step 18 and a second step 20.The flange 14 is constructed and arranged to repel additional vibrationthat may occur in the bat when the bat strikes a ball. Referring to FIG.1 and FIG. 2, chamfers 21 and 23 are located at the positions on the bat10 where the first step 18 and the second step 20 begin. In oneembodiment, chamfers 21 and 23 are at a substantially 45 degree anglewith the surface of the bat, but in other embodiments, chamfers thatform other angles may be used. The first portion 12 can be configured asa handle having a butt end 24. The butt end 24 can prevent a batter'shands from slipping off the end of the handle 12. The second portion 22includes a contact surface for use in striking a ball.

Generally, the step portion 16 is comprised of one or more steps, wherea first step is a section of the step portion having a diameter smalleror larger than the diameters of the respective steps surrounding thefirst step. For example, each of the first portion 12, first step 18,second step 20, and second portion 22 has a respective outer diameter.The first step 18 of the at least one step portion 16 can have an outerdiameter that is smaller than the outer diameter of the second portion22. The second step 20 can have an outer diameter that is smaller thanthe outer diameter of the first step 18. In one embodiment of theinvention, the outer diameter of the second step 20 is substantially thesame as the outer diameter of the first portion 12.

The first portion 12, first step 18, the second step 20, and the secondportion 22 have respective lengths. In an embodiment of the invention,the length of the first step 18 is smaller than the length of the secondstep 20. The length of the step portion 16, for example, can besubstantially one-half of the length of the second portion 22, orone-third of a length 26, shown in FIG. 1, comprised of the combinedlengths of the second portion 22 and the step portion 16. The length ofthe training bat 10 can be any of a number of lengths, including but notlimited to a length of 30 inches, 32 inches, 34 inches or 35 inches. Alonger bat 10 generally has a longer first step 18, whereby the lengthof the bat is proportional to the overall weight of the training bat 10.The second step 20 remains substantially the same length for any one ofthe plurality of lengths of the bat 10. In embodiments of the invention,the length of the first step 18 is substantially equal to the length ofthe second step 20. In still further embodiments, the length of thefirst step 18 can be larger than the length of the second step 20.Embodiments of the invention according to these dimensions have beenshown to exhibit a substantially reduced vibration of the bat when thebat strikes a baseball, thus increasing the comfort of the batterholding the training bat. Other embodiments of the invention havingdifferent lengths and other outer diameters can also be achieved.

The training bat 10 can have a weight that is substantially the sameweight as a conventional bat. In other embodiments, the bat may bedesigned to have a weight that is less than or, advantageously, greaterthan the weight of a conventional bat. In parlance, one embodiment maybe a “+8” bat, e.g., a 30″ bat having a weight of 38 ounces.

In one embodiment, the training bat is composed of aluminum. Otherembodiments of the training bat may be composed of other materials,including, but not limited to, steel, aluminum alloys, beryllium, wood,plastic, or combinations of materials. Preferably, the training bat 10is composed of a single member of solid aluminum; however, hollow ortubular members can be employed.

The training bat 10, or any portion thereof, may have a surface colorthat identifies a length and a weight of the bat. For example, thetraining bat 10 may have a red, blue or black surface to identify a batthat is 30 inches in length and 38 ounces in weight. The user of the batcan therefore more readily identify the proper bat for his/herparticular training use.

By way of example, in one embodiment of the invention, the training bat10 having an overall length of 30 inches and a weight of 38 ounces has afirst portion 12 having a length of approximately 12.763 inches and anouter diameter of 1.154 inches. The first step 18 has a length of 2.578inches and an outer diameter of 1.014 inches, while the second step 20has a length of 3.297 inches and an outer diameter of 0.876 inches. Aflange 14, positioned between the handle 12 and the second step 20, hasa width of 0.522 inches. The first end 12 has a length of 10.09 inchesand an outer diameter of 0.812 inches. Further, a butt end 24 can beincluded having a width of 0.66 inches and an outer diameter of 1.25inches.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, common elements appear having the same number as thatidentifying respective elements in prior embodiments. FIG. 3 illustratesan embodiment of the training bat 50 that includes a step portion 16having a single step with a diameter less than the diameter of thesecond end 22. FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the training bat 60that can include a first end 12 adjacent to the step portion 16 withouta flange positioned between the first end 12 and the step portion 16.

Having thus described at least one illustrative embodiment of theinvention, various alterations, modifications and improvements willreadily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations,modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope andspirit of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is byway of example only and is not intended as limiting. The invention'slimit is defined only in the following claims and the equivalentsthereto.

1. A training bat comprising: a first end forming a handle; a second endhaving a substantially uniform outer diameter; and at least one stepportion, positioned between the handle and the second end, having anouter diameter, wherein the at least one step portion has an outerdiameter smaller than the outer diameter of the second end.
 2. Thetraining bat of claim 1 wherein the at least one step portion iscomprised of a first step having an outer diameter and a second stephaving an outer diameter wherein the outer diameter of the second stepis smaller than the outer diameter of the first step.
 3. The trainingbat of claim 2 wherein the first step has a length and the second stephas a length that is greater than the length of the first step.
 4. Thetraining bat of claim 3 wherein the second step has an outer diametersubstantially the same as an outer diameter of the handle.
 5. Thetraining bat of claim 4 wherein the at least one step portion isconstructed and arranged to reduce vibration in the bat when the bat isused to strike a ball.
 6. The training bat of claim 5 further comprisinga flange positioned between the handle and the at least one stepportion.
 7. The training bat of claim 6 wherein the at least one stepportion has a length that is substantially one-half of the length of thesecond end.
 8. The training bat of claim 7 having a weight that isgreater than the weight of a conventional bat.
 9. The training bat ofclaim 8 wherein the training bat is composed of aluminum.
 10. Thetraining bat of claim 8 wherein the training bat is composed of a singlemember of solid aluminum.
 11. A training bat comprising: a first endforming a handle; a second end having an outer diameter; a first stephaving an outer diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter of thesecond end; and a second step having an outer diameter that is smallerthan the outer diameter of the first step, wherein the first step ispositioned between the second end and the second step.
 12. The trainingbat of claim 11 wherein the length of the second end is longer than thelength of the second step.
 13. The training bat of claim 12 furthercomprising a flange positioned between the handle and the second step.14. The training bat of claim 13 wherein the second step has an outerdiameter substantially the same as an outer diameter of the handle. 15.The training bat of claim 14 wherein the second end has a substantiallyuniform outer diameter.
 16. The training bat of claim 15 wherein thefirst step and the second step are constructed and arranged to reducevibration in the bat when the bat is used to strike a ball.
 17. Thetraining bat of claim 16 wherein the training bat is composed ofaluminum.
 18. The training bat of claim 17 wherein the training bat iscomposed of a single member of solid aluminum.
 19. A training batcomprising: a first end forming a handle; a second end having an outerdiameter; at least one step portion, positioned between the handle andthe second end, having an outer diameter, wherein the at least one stepportion has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of thesecond end; and a flange positioned between the handle and the at leastone step portion.
 20. The training bat of claim 19 wherein the at leastone step portion is comprised of a first step having an outer diameterand a second step having an outer diameter that is smaller than theouter diameter of the first step.
 21. The training bat of claim 20wherein the first step has a length and the second step has a lengththat is greater than the length of the first step.
 22. The training batof claim 21 wherein the second step has an outer diameter substantiallythe same as an outer diameter of the handle.
 23. The training bat ofclaim 22 wherein the at least one step portion is constructed andarranged to reduce vibration in the bat when the bat is used to strike aball.
 24. The training bat of claim 23 wherein the at least one stepportion has a length that is substantially one-half of the length of thesecond end.
 25. The training bat of claim 24 wherein the handle isfurther comprised of a butt-end having a diameter larger than the outerdiameter of the handle, positioned as a portion of the first end of thebat proximal to a user of the bat.
 26. A training bat comprising: afirst end forming a handle; a second end having a substantially uniformouter diameter; and means, positioned between the handle and the secondend, for reducing vibration of the bat when the bat is engaged instriking a ball, wherein the means for reducing vibration has an outerdiameter smaller than the outer diameter of the second end.
 27. A methodof striking a ball with a training bat, the method comprising:contacting a ball with a bat, the bat having a first end forming ahandle, a second end having a substantially uniform diameter, and atleast one step portion, positioned between the handle and the secondend, having an outer diameter, wherein the at least one step portion hasan outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the second end.